“I always wanted to play, but I never got a chance to in my previous schools. One of the reasons I joined the Academy was its sports facilities.”

Advait Surana is a residential grade 10 student at the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad. He was selected as one of 18 students from different schools to represent Telangana state at the national U-15 football tournament in Delhi in early September 2016. This was the first time that Telangana reached the quarter finals, where they lost to Haryana who eventually went on to win the cup.

Advait, who started taking football seriously after he joined the Academy two years ago, underwent rigorous training and practice before the national tournament. He had first been observed while representing the Academy at a Rangareddy district football competition. 

“My goal is to participate in the U-18 in a few years,” said Advait. “I haven’t thought about playing football professionally after that, but it is an option.”

Advait aspires to become a software engineer. As part of his International Baccalaureate grade 10 personal project (an independent and practical exploration in which students connect classroom learning engagements with their own experiences and interests), he is building a mobile app that has riddles and puzzles for all age-groups.

However, sport is always on his periphery. When asked why he thinks he was selected, he declared with confidence: “I practiced a lot, and I think I deserved it. I think I was better than the other kids.”

The Academy is incredibly proud of Advait’s achievement, as testament to our commitment to holistic education and the development of student talent across the board, in both academic and extra-curricular activities.